Fateful Opportunity
by mercury.alchemist
Summary: AU: Is it even possible for vampires and werewolves to develop a relationship with out animosity. The fateful opportunity that could give Cullen clan a chance to develop such a relationship with a Quileute child happened from the aftermath of tragedy.
1. Prologue

**Hi, this is my first ever fanfic so I hope y'all will enjoy it. The story is AU Twilight. I don't want to say to much right away so I hope you enjoy. And please feel free to review and let me know what you think. There is no beta so I hope it's alright.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing...**

_**The Prologue**_

Opportunities come every so often that when one gets the chance it is often taken for the regret of the unknown outcome would be worse than taking action. Even if you've lived for several hundred years certain opportunities come once even for a vampire.

The Cullen's family, the secret resident vampires of the small town in Washington state, called Forks. They had one such opportunity fall into their laps. Vampires are the natural enemies of werewolves, besides the long standing animosity between the groups there is little under standing of how the other lives. Would it even be possible to develop relationships that did not consist of hate, disgust, and distrust. Carlisle Cullen wondered about the possibilities of truly getting to learn about other race. Because of the animosity that was taught to the werewolves at a young age it was essentially impossible to ever form such an understanding or relationship.

The treaty that maintains the uneasy peace between the local vampires and werewolves has lasted for over one hundred years. The rules put forth by the treaty keeps the two groups very isolated from one another, using distance as the key to prevent war. The young Quileute are taught to stay far away from the bloodsuckers. For a pacifist vampires like Carlisle Cullen and his family, it is impossible to develop an understanding relationship without animosity after a Quileute child has been taught to mistrust them.

The fateful opportunity that could give Cullen clan a chance to develop such a relationship with a Quileute child happened from the aftermath of tragedy. In such a situation is it worth breaking a treaty for a chance to obtain an understanding that would otherwise be unobtainable? Such a debate went through the minds of Carlisle and Esme Cullen as they chose to ignore the complaints of their adopted children and take the Quileute child.


	2. The Accident

**Chapter one, yay! The story is AU Twilight. I don't want to say too much right away so I hope you enjoy. And please feel free to review and let me know what you think. There is no beta, so I hope it's alright. This may have OOC, so I'm sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing...**

_**The Accident**_

Winter is a season of both beauty and desolation. The near constant rain that afflicts the area around Forks and La Push (the Quileute reservation) has been falling in the form of heavy snowflake clusters, the kind that can make one doubt as to the uniqueness of a snowflake. The woods and highway that connect those two destinations are blanketed with lovely white snow as it continues to flurry. Icicles hang from the now barren trees as ornaments of the season. The weather for the past two weeks has been a dismal exchange of rain and snow as temperatures rise and drop below freezing.

The small two lane highway connecting the rest of the world to La Push would be the setting for an unfolding tragedy. The highway is flanked by forest on both sides. To the left side there is a downward slope to the ravine that has frozen over. The past week's rain formed a treacherous layer of black ice that was hidden below the unassuming blanket of fluffy white snow. A few automobile tracks litter the snowy blanket from the few travelers that have passed though to or from La Push.

That morning was Sarah Black's opportunity to go buy Christmas gifts for her family. Her twin daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, were in school and her husband Billy was at work. So she prepared her four year old son Jacob in his warmest clothes and set off for one of the larger neighboring towns to get gifts for everyone. She buckled young Jacob in the backseat of her "classic" car; which hasn't been made in twenty years (it wasn't quite the tank that Billy's truck was), but was in great condition from her husband's work on the engine. Sheriff Charlie Swan, a close friend of her husband, had caught her driving with Jacob in the front seat once and gave her a warning that young children shouldn't ride in the front for their own safety should an accident happen. The warning mainly related to cars that had airbags which her clunker did not, but for the sake of Charlie and Jacob's safety she did her best to always remember to buckle Jacob in the backseat.

The drive from La Push on the two lane highway was more eventful than Sarah would have liked. The highway had not been plowed or salted yet. She was driving fairly slow and listening to her son talk about what he wanted to get for his dad and sisters. Being slightly distracted she realized that she was still driving faster than she would have liked given the road conditions so as she pressed the brake the car fishtailed on the hidden black ice leaving behind wavy tracks but she was able to steady the car. "Wow that was a close one, they should really salt this highway. It's just too dangerous with the ravine, don't worry baby I think we had our scare for this trip." Little did she know that this treacherous road would cost her dearly. The rest of the drive was uneventful as they made it to the closest mall and shopped for their loved ones.

The ride back to La Push went fairly smooth with talks of wrapping and hiding places for the gifts so the twins wouldn't find them. The final stretch before reaching La Push was of course the highway by the ravine. Sarah slightly distracted by her conversation and thinking of excuses to tell Billy about amount of money she spent today. She was caught by surprise as a deer ran in front of her car, she hit the brakes full on, having forgotten the black ice that laid on the highway. The car swerved and fishtailed of the road and flipped down into the forested ravine. The car rolled over several times and landed on the drivers side stopped by two very large trees that grew on the hillside leading to the ravine. The impact of the crash left glass cracked and broken and the car damaged and severely dented.

The Cullen family was hunting in the forest nearby when they were distracted by the sound of tires screeching, breaking glass and a young child crying. The scent of human blood was overwhelming. Emmett and Carlisle Cullen were the first to investigate the crash seen. Emmett had actually been tracking the deer that caused the Blacks car to swerve out of control. The amount of guilt he felt that someone got hurt because of him was unbearable. Jasper Hale, the newest member of the Cullen family, and the one with empathic powers stayed far from the crash scene. The last thing he needed was to lose control of his bloodlust. Not only that but the emotions surrounding the scene were overwhelming him. He sensed Emmett's guilt, intense pain, fear, loss, and regret. Alice Cullen was by his side trying to comfort him as he was doubled over with the pain of the emotions hitting him all at once. Esme Cullen hurried after her husband to see if there was anything she could do to help. Rosalie Hale and Edward Cullen slowly made their way to the scene curious as to the situation, but not as effected by it as the others were.

Next Chapter: Is everyone ok? What will the Cullen's do about the situation and what are their thoughts on it.


	3. In a Moment

_**In a Moment**_

Sarah POV

There are moments that seem to last for an eternity. Moments were the world turns upside down and you see the important things in your life fall before your eyes as you are trapped in the snow globe of the moment. And forced to watch it all fall away.

I suppose that goes with near death experiences, though I'm not sure it qualifies for me, in my heart I know this is my end. One's life is supposed to flash before their eyes and there are supposed to be tunnels and bright lights. Inside of my snow globe-like prison, there is a thick foggy haze, no tunnels. But I will give those near death descriptions one thing, your life does seem to flash before your eyes. Well, in my case, it was only the important stuff.

Since I appear to be stuck in this moment with nothing to do but flip through the album of my life. I never realized that my life had been so blest, I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful life with family, friends, especially my husband and kids. My kids have gotten so big. Rachel and Rebecca have grown up so much in the eight years I was lucky enough to know them, if only they would play with Jacob more. Jacob... oh my gosh, Jacob was in the car with me! I can't hear anything, I don't know if my baby is okay!

In my panic, I blame myself for getting my son into this mess, if anything happens to him ... I-I … I can't let that happen. The loss of my own life means little, if my child can survive. My panic has driven away the haze for the most part, all I feel is pain. I open my eyes again as the haze clears and I see so much blood, I guess my self assessment of being near death is pretty close. I can't die, not until I know my baby is alright.

I finally find my voice, but all I can manage is a hoarse, broken whisper, "Jake … Jake are you alright?" I hear a faint noise coming from behind me, it sounds like crying. I do my best to turn to assess my child's health, but I can't move, I'm stuck and the pain is so bad I'm afraid I'll pass out. I myself am near tears, I feel so helpless. I hear the passenger's door open and a voice.

"I'm a doctor, my name is Carlisle Cullen, I can help you if you want." The man standing there looks like some kind of angel, far too perfect to be real and his voice sounds like the lilting music of the cello (I must really be out of it). Realization hits me, 'Cullen', I know that name, but how, from what? I can't remember meeting a Doctor Cullen before. The car shifts slightly, to what appears to be a more stable situation. 'Wow, this guy is strong', but I still can't figure out how I know him until his icy cold hands check my wounds and vitals. "You-you're a 'cold one'!" Dread fills me, 'Great job Sarah, only you would crash your car around a vampire'. Oh no! There's more of them! I see a very large athletic looking male, and a kind looking lady, 'I wonder if she's a mother too? Maybe she'll understand and let my child live.'

"I'm not going to hurt you, please let me help. There isn't much time." Why? Why would he, or they, want to help me? Aren't they just here looking for a quick meal? Okay, that thought makes me want to vomit. As if knowing my doubts and concerns, the 'doctor' replies, "I can and am willing to help you, but I won't without your consent. My family and I have no interest in harming you or your child. We … I just want to help." His eyes are a faint amber color, but I see sincerity in them. 'I have to trust him, I have no choice.'

The 'doctor' starts trying to help me again, but only one thing is only my mind and that is my child in the backseat. "No!" I feebly try to push the doctor away. "Please, I can help you, there isn't much time! You have to trust me." I cough up some blood while trying to talk. "No, help my son!" The doctor glances over, passed my line of vision, to the backseat. His face is serious and I can only fear the worst. "Your son's injuries aren't as severe as yours, I can tend to him in a moment-" I cut him off, "No! Help him now!" I screamed at the man, if I actually was able to survive this I would have to apologize for being so rude. The doctor, was reluctant to stop treating me, but the lady, the 'cold one', speaks with him very quickly, I didn't hear what she said, but I knew that she understood and the doctor started treating my son.

I'm feeling weaker by the second, instinctually I know I don't have much time left. I heard my son being removed from the car and I can more clearly hear the faint crying again. The lady came up to the car and spoke to me. "Your son is going to be alright, Carlisle said all of his injuries are easily treatable." She has a sad smile on her face as she reassures me. "Thank God!" I choked out. That was all I could say, it seems even in death I am still blest that my son will live and be safe. With the reassurance that the lady gave, I am finally able to rest and the darkness of a sleep, that I would never wake from, takes me.

Life for a human only lasts for a moment in the eyes of a vampire. Sarah Black's moment ended that day.

_Author's notes: Sorry it took so long to update, I didn't get to the Cullen families POV's in this chapter. Sorry, I just wanted to develop Sarah's character a bit more before she died. In the next chapter I'm hoping to get the Cullen's POV's and whatnot. Please review and let me know how I'm doing, this is my first fanfiction. I actually have some ideas for other stories that I might start writing soon, so feel free to check them out._


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